Convertible top tack strip and mounting method

ABSTRACT

A flexible tack strip ( 30, 30 ′) is provided for mounting the rear hem ( 28 ) of a convertible top cover ( 22 ) to a vehicle body ( 12 ). The tack strip ( 30, 30 ′) is preferably glass-filled plastic material ( 30 ′) and is sufficiently flexible to enable deformation and insertion through the top storage compartment opening ( 16 ) when the topstack ( 18 ) is being installed on the vehicle body ( 12 ). The tack strip ( 30, 30 ′) has at least one stop member ( 38 ) which engages a stop clip ( 42 ) mounted on the body to limit the upward and forward movement of the tack strip ( 30, 30 ′) to secure the cover hem ( 28 ) and tension the cover ( 22 ) when the top is raised. An optional spring latch ( 46 ) can be included adjacent each stop clip to trap the tack strip when installed.

This application claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No.60/124,965, filed Mar. 18, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to vehicle convertible tops and, moreparticularly, to an improved topstack tack strip and method of mountingthe tack strip on the vehicle body.

Conventional convertible topstacks have a rear top fabric hem that isstapled to a tack strip that comprises a plastic insert in an aluminumextruded holder that is then secured by as many as 19 bolts to thevehicle body after the topstack frame is mounted to the body. Thisbolting process requires a substantial amount of manual labor andjudgment to assure that the tack strip is properly mounted. As such, itis a time-consuming and expensive assembly operation.

It would be desirable to provide an improved tack strip and to simplifythe mounting of it on the vehicle body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved tackstrip and to simplify the mounting of it on the vehicle body.

In one aspect, this invention features a convertible vehicle having abody opening to a top storage compartment which stores a topstack. Thetopstack comprises a collapsible frame with a fabric cover and is raisedand lowered through this opening and is initially inserted through theopening for attachment of its mounting brackets to the vehicle body. Thetop cover has a rear hem that is secured to a U-shaped tack strip thatis sufficiently flexible to partially collapse to enable insertionthrough the body opening. The tack strip has one or more stop membersmounted on it which engage mating stop clips on the body adjacent theopening. When the top is raised, the stop member engages the top andfront lip of the stop clip to limit upward and forward movement of thetack strip to anchor the top cover rear hem and tension the cover.

The vehicle body has a water drain trough spaced below the lip of thebody opening. Spring latch clips or other retainers are optionallyplaced adjacent the drain trough beneath the tack strip to latch thetack strip in place and to limit lowering movement of the tack strip.

The tack strip is preferably a unitary piece of glass-filled plastic toprovide the needed flexibility.

These and further objects and features of this invention will becomemore readily apparent upon reference to the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a convertible vehicle having a topstackthat has a tack strip and mounted on the body according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a tack strip according to thisinvention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view and illustrating the optional latchof this invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a preferred form of tack strip accordingto this invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the circled portion of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a convertible vehicle 10 has abody 12 that has an opening 14 into a top storage compartment 15.Opening 14 is bounded by a peripheral lip 16. A topstack 18 includes anarticulated collapsible frame 20 comprising side rails and cross bowswhich support a fabric cover 22 when the topstack is raised. The frame20 includes a pair of spaced mounting brackets 24 and 26 that are boltedor otherwise secured to the insides of body 12 below opening 14 withintop storage compartment 15 to mount the topstack securely to the vehiclebody.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, top cover 22 includes a rear hem 28 that isstapled or otherwise secured to a tack strip 30. A drain trough 40 islocated in storage compartment 15 below lip 16.

In the form shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, tack strip 30 is a U-shaped flexiblemember formed of a plastic core 32 that is jacketed by a rolled steelshell 34. In the preferred form shown in FIG. 4, tack strip 30′comprises a unitary glass-filled plastic member with improvedflexibility. A 40% glass-filled propylene material has been found usefulin this application.

As shown in FIG. 2, tack strip 30′ may contain a central notch orweakened section 52 which increases its flexibility or ability to deformfor installation, as later described. In either form, tack strip 30 or30′ has at least one metal stop member 38 riveted, screwed or otherwiseattached to its rear vertical side after the top cover hem 28 is stapledto it.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, storage compartment 15 includes a water drainor drip trough 40 near its bottom to drain and discharge any water thatshould enter the compartment. Subjacent opening lip 16, a stop clip 42is located to mate with each stop member 38 when the top is installed.Stop clip 42 includes a forward lip 44. A spring latch clip 46 isriveted to the body within storage compartment 15 beneath stop clip 42,and has a leg 48 slidable through a slot 50 in the compartment wall toallow the clip 46 to deform.

Topstack 18 is an integrated unit that is installed as a unit intovehicle body 12. Tack strip 30 is stapled to cover hem 28 and hangsloosely from the top stack assembly. It has a generally U-shape and islarger than opening 14. To enable tack strip 30 to be easily insertedthrough opening 14, it is made sufficiently flexible to be deformed orcollapsed inwardly to reduce its size sufficiently to fit throughopening 14. After this insertion, tack strip 30 is pushed past springlatch clips 46, which deform to allow passage and then spring back toconfine tack strip 30 between it and stop clip 42. Alternatively, springlatch clips 46 can be eliminated and tack strip 30, 30′ will be looselyconfined between clip 42 and drip trough 40. The ends are then confinedby mounting brackets 24 and 26 and all mechanical, hydraulic andelectrical connections are made.

Topstack 18 is than unfolded to a fully raised position. The resultingtension in top cover 22 will pull tack strip 30 up into contact with thestop clip 42, which provides an “up” stop and its forward lip 44, whichacts as a forward stop to properly tension top cover 22. When topstack18 is again collapsed for storage in storage compartment 15, springclips 46, if used, will maintain tack strip 30 in the FIG. 3 position.If the spring clips are not used, the tack strip may fall down into driptrough 40.

Conventional tack strips are made from an aluminum extrusion whichmounts a plastic strip for receiving the staples which are used tosecure the top cover hem to the tack strip. Due to the variations invehicle bodies as built, it is common to add various shims to the tackstrip to provide a contour that will ensure that the rear of the topcover material has a tight seal against the vehicle body. Such aconstruction could be used in the instant invention.

However, a better and less expensive tack strip has been developed aspart of this invention. Preferred tack strip 30′ is a molded unitary 40%glass-filled propylene material, incorporating the various shims, andmay have a weakened section 52 (FIG. 2), also termed a “living hinge”incorporated into the molding. This construction enables tack strip 30′to be forced to collapse the U-shape inwardly sufficiently to enableinsertion through the constricted body opening 14. As a variant, severalweakened sections could be used.

While only preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustratedand described, obvious modifications thereof are contemplated within thescope of the following claims. For example, although three stop membersand three mating stop clips are illustrated, one, two or more may beused. Also, although spring clips are illustrated, they may beeliminated, since stop clips and the bracket confinement of the ends ofthe tack strip will limit upward and forward movement of the tack stripswhen the top is raised.

We claim:
 1. A convertible vehicle having a topstack movable through abody opening between a stored position in a top storage compartment anda raised position, said topstack comprising a collapsible frame mountinga flexible cover which has a rear hem, and a U-shaped tack strip,characterized by the tack strip being secured to the hem and beingsufficiently flexible to be partially collapsed to enable insertionthrough the body opening to install the tack strip, and by includingmovement limiting means on the body located adjacent the opening forlimiting movement of the tack strip on the body when installed toloosely anchor the rear hem and tension the top cover when the top ismoved to raised position.
 2. The convertible vehicle of claim 1, furthercharacterized by the movement limiting means comprising a stop clipmounted on the body which limits the upward movement of the tack stripwhen installed.
 3. The convertible vehicle of claim 2, furthercharacterized by the stop clip including a forward lip, and furtherincluding a stop member mounted on the tack strip for engaging the stopclip to limit upward and forward movement of the tack strip relative tothe body when installed.
 4. The convertible vehicle of claim 1, furthercharacterized by including a bracket mounted on the body adjacent eachend of the tack strip to prevent forward movement of the tack strip wheninstalled.
 5. The convertible vehicle of claim 1, further characterizedby movement limiting means comprising a stop clip mounted on the bodywhich limits the upward movement of the tack strip when installed, and aspring clip which is deformable to enable movement of the tack stripinto engagement with the stop clip and to thereafter trap the tack stripagainst removal.
 6. A flexible tack strip for mounting the rear hem of aconvertible top cover to a vehicle body adjacent the upper rim of a bodyopening that provides access to a top storage compartment, characterizedby the tack strip being of a larger dimension than the opening so as toengage the vehicle body adjacent the opening, and being sufficientlyflexible to enable deformation of the tack strip to a sufficiently smalldimension to enable insertion of the tack strip through the opening. 7.The flexible tack strip of claim 6, further characterized by being madeof a glass-filled plastic material.
 8. The flexible tack strip of claim7, further characterized by including a weakened section to facilitatedeformation.
 9. A method for mounting the rear hem of a convertibletopstack to a vehicle body adjacent a body opening, characterized by thesteps of a. providing at least one stop member on the vehicle body, b.providing a flexible U-shaped tack strip, c. securing the hem to thetack strip, d. partially collapsing the tack strip and inserting thetack strip through the body opening so as to engage the stop member tolimit upward and forward movement of the tack strip when the top israised.
 10. The method of claim 9, further characterized by the steps ofe. providing at least one latch on the vehicle body, and f. installingthe tack strip on the body by engaging the tack strip with the latch tomount the tack strip and anchor the rear hem.